Portable barrier clip

ABSTRACT

Components for a visual safety warning barrier or for a guide barrier to identify allowable and/or prohibited traffic areas are described. A clip (1) is attached to a tubular member (2). The clip (1) has a body member (3) with spaced first (4) and second (5) ends to define an open segment (6). The diameter of the body member (3) is substantially identical to the diameter of the tubular member (2). An open hook (8) extends from the outer surface (9) of the body member (3) to accommodate the link (10) of a chain. The tubular member (2) is urged through the open segment (6) causing the first (4) and second (5) ends to flex outwards sufficient for the interior surface (7) of the body member (3) to mate with the exterior surface (11) of the tubular member (2) as the ends (4,5) return to their initial positions, retaining the clip (1) on the tubular member (2). By applying sufficient pressure either to the tubular member (2) or to the clip (1), the ends (4,5) again flex enabling release of the clip (1). When used in a barrier system, the chain (25) can readily be detached from the hook (8) creating a passageway. Where there is an immediate and urgent requirement to pass through the barrier, pressure applied to the chain (25) releases the clip (1) from its stanchion (23), allowing the clip (1) and chain (25) to drop to the floor and creating the necessary passageway.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a clip for a barrier. The invention has particular, but non-limiting, use as a component in a visual safety warning barrier or in a guide barrier to identify allowable and/or prohibited traffic areas.

Throughout this specification, unless the contrary is expressly stated, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was, at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of the common general knowledge, or known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.

BACKGROUND ART

In the construction, manufacturing and exploration industries, there are many situations where it is necessary to provide a warning that a danger exits. For example, in the construction industry, when tradesmen are constructing or tiling the roof of a building, falling from the roof of that building is potentially dangerous; constructing new or repairing existing balconies and stairways with the consequent lack of or temporary removal of permanent balustrades again is potentially dangerous if a person falls from the edge of the balcony or stairway. In the manufacturing and exploration industries, coming too close to operating machinery is potentially hazardous as a person could be seriously injured by exposed operating parts of that machinery.

Existing solutions to these problems, often mandated by Government legislation, is to provide some form of barrier close to the danger area which, although not necessarily restraining or preventing a person from being injured, at least provides a visual warning to that person to exercise caution while in close proximity to that area.

Prior art solutions to provide this warning include scaffold-type constructions around the exterior of the building or a “post and rail” or mesh-type barrier secured between the extremities of the relevant area. These solutions are usually constructed of metal piping or similar and secured together by various means including nuts and bolts, saddle clamps, clevis pins and pivot pins retained with cotter pins. Disadvantages of these prior art solutions are that they are heavy, relatively expensive to manufacture, are actually semi-permanent in their application and thus relatively time-consuming in their erection and dismantling and, despite their bulk, rarely are infallible in preventing injury to a person working at or near the relevant area and therefore, at best, remain simply a warning barrier. It would therefore be advantageous to provide a warning barrier which is at least lighter in weight, less costly to manufacture and easier to deploy.

In other constructions such as airports, theatres, museums, homes and other premises open to visitors or tourists, and roadways, it can be necessary to restrict persons to a particular area, route or queue, or to delineate a restricted area that is only open to authorized personnel.

Existing solutions to provide this type of crowd or queue control include a flexible rope strung between two spaced stanchions, or an extendible flexible band-like barrier extending from one permanently fixed end to engage in a slot or recess at the other end of the area to be cordoned off. A main disadvantage of these prior art solutions is that disengagement of the barrier is not that quick and, if there is a need to pass through that barrier, a person usually ducks under or steps over the rope or band, but a limb or neck can accidentally be caught by the rope or band risking injury to that person; this is especially of concern should a rapid passage through the barrier be required, for example, by persons exiting a building because of a fire or the like. It would therefore be advantageous to provide a barrier which can be readily disengaged in an emergency.

It is thus a general object of the present invention to overcome, or at least ameliorate, one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable barrier clip for removable attachment to an elongated member, said clip comprising:

-   -   a retaining collar having a first end, a body member depending         from said first end and terminating in a second end, said second         end being spaced from said first end to define an open segment         of said retaining collar, said body member having an interior         surface substantially complementary in configuration to the         exterior surface of said elongated member; and     -   a securing means fixed to said body member for securing a chain,         tape, rope, wire or band;     -   characterized in that:     -   for operative connection and disengagement of said clip to said         elongated member, said body member can readily flex to expand         said open section sufficient to enable said body member to be         placed over or removed from said elongated member, said body         member for said operative connection being adapted to retract so         that substantially the entire length of said interior surface of         said body member mates with said exterior surface of said         elongated member sufficient to retain said clip on said         elongated member.

In a first embodiment of the present invention, said securing means is an open hook or similar.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, said securing means is a closed eyelet or similar.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a set of components for a barrier, said components comprising at least two of said clips as hereinbefore described.

In a third embodiment of the present invention, said set of components for a barrier includes at least one said clip with a said securing means being said open hook or similar, and at least one second said clip with a said securing means being said closed eyelet or similar.

In a fourth embodiment of the present invention, said set of components for a barrier includes a multiple of said clips of various dimensions to accommodate operative connection to said elongated members of various configurations.

As a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable barrier comprising:

-   -   two said elongated members such as stanchions or similar to be         used to define the extremities of said barrier;     -   two of said clips for connection to respective said elongated         members; and     -   a length of chain, tape, rope, wire, band or similar that can be         connected between said two clips.

In a fifth embodiment of the present invention, said barrier is a visual safety warning barrier.

In a sixth embodiment of the present invention, said barrier is a guide barrier to identify allowable and/or prohibited traffic areas.

In all embodiments of the present invention, preferably, said chain is a metal or plastic chain.

Preferably, said chain is a plastic chain.

More preferably, said plastic chain is coloured, the colour selected being indicative of the purpose of said barrier.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic transverse cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the clip of the invention attached to a tubular member of circular cross-section;

FIG. 2 is a schematic transverse cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the clip of the invention attached to a tubular member of square cross-section; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the clips illustrated in FIGS. 1 & 2 used as components in a guide barrier to identify allowable and/or prohibited traffic areas.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, a clip (1) is attached to a round pipe-like tubular member (2) of diameter D. The clip (1) has a curved body member (3) with spaced first (4) and second (5) ends to define an open segment (6). The diameter of the body member (3) as determined with reference to its interior surface (7) is substantially identical to the diameter D of the tubular member (2). An open hook (8) extends from the outer surface (9) of the body member (3) to accommodate the link (10) of a chain (FIG. 3). The clip (1) is conveniently manufactured from a plastics material.

In use, to affix the clip (1), the tubular member (2) is urged through the open segment (6) causing the first (4) and second (5) ends to flex outwards in respective directions U and V. The interior surface (7) of the body member (3) mates with the exterior surface (11) of the tubular member (2) as the ends (4,5) return to their initial positions, thus retaining the clip (1) on the tubular member (2). By applying sufficient pressure to the tubular member (2) in direction A or sufficient pressure to the clip (1) in direction B, the ends (4,5) again flex in their respective directions U and V enabling release of the clip (1).

Turning to the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, a clip (11) is attached to a pipe-like tubular member (12) of square cross-section of diameter E. The clip (11) has a body member (13) of square cross-section with spaced first (14) and second (15) ends to define an open segment (16). The diameter of the body member (13) as determined with reference to its interior surface (17) is substantially identical to the diameter E of the tubular member (12). A closed eyelet (18) extends from the outer surface (19) of the body member (13) to accommodate the link (20) of a chain (FIG. 3). The clip (11) is conveniently manufactured from a plastics material.

In use, to affix the clip (11), the tubular member (12) is urged through the open segment (16) causing the first (14) and second (15) ends to flex outwards in respective directions S and T. The interior surface (17) of the body member (13) mates with the exterior surface (21) of the tubular member (12) as the ends (14,15) return to their initial positions, thus retaining the clip (11) on the tubular member (12). By applying sufficient pressure to the tubular member (12) in direction H or sufficient pressure to the clip (11) in direction Z, the ends (14,15) again flex in their respective directions S and T enabling release of the clip (11).

The barrier (22) illustrated in FIG. 3 comprises: a first stanchion (23) of circular cross-section to which the clip (1) of FIG. 1 is attached; a second section (24) of square cross-section to which the clip (11) of FIG. 2 is attached; and a plastic chain (25), having one link (20) at one end permanently fixed to the eyelet (18) of the clip (11) on stanchion (24), and another link (10) at its other end removably fixed to the hook (8) of the clip (1) on stanchion (23).

In use, the barrier (22) can function as a guide barrier to identify allowable and/or prohibited traffic areas, such uses being well known in theatres, airports and the like. Should a person require to pass through the barrier (22) in normal circumstances, the chain (25) can readily be detached from the hook (8), and the chain (25) dropped, thus creating a passageway between the stanchions (23,24). However, in circumstances where there is an immediate and urgent requirement to pass through the barrier to escape, for example, a fire in a building, where there is likely to be a significant number of panicked people seeking passage through the barrier simultaneously, the pressure applied to the chain (25) as such people push against the chain (25) is sufficient for the clips (1,11) to be easily disengaged from their respective stanchions (23,24), allowing the clips (1,11) and chain (25) to drop to the floor and creating the necessary passageway between the stanchions (23,24).

The present invention thus offers a number of advantages over the prior art which include:

-   -   has multiple uses, including: as a component in a visual safety         warning barrier; and as a component in a guide barrier to         identify allowable and/or prohibited traffic areas;     -   light weight in construction;     -   less costly to manufacture;     -   easier to deploy; and     -   can provide a barrier which may be readily disengaged in an         emergency.

The terms “comprising” or “comprises” as used throughout the specification and claims are taken to specify the presence of the stated features, integers and components referred to but not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other feature/s, integer/s, component/s or group thereof.

It will be appreciated that the above described embodiments are only exemplification of the various aspects of the present invention and that modifications and alterations can be made thereto without departing from the inventive concept as defined in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable barrier clip for removable attachment to an elongated member, said clip comprising: a retaining collar having a first end, a body member depending from said first end and terminating in a second end, said second end being spaced from said first end to define an open segment of said retaining collar, said body member having an interior surface substantially complementary in configuration to the exterior surface of said elongated member; and a securing means fixed to said body member for securing a chain, tape, rope, wire or band; characterized in that: for operative connection and disengagement of said clip to said elongated member, said body member can readily flex to expand said open segment sufficient to enable said body member to be placed over or removed from said elongated member, said body member for said operative connection being adapted to retract so that substantially the entire length of said interior surface of said body member mates with said exterior surface of said elongated member sufficient to retain said clip on said elongated member.
 2. A clip as defined in claim 1 wherein said securing means is an open hook.
 3. A clip as defined in claim 1 wherein said securing means is a closed eyelet.
 4. A set of components for a barrier, said components comprising at least two of said clips as defined in any one of claim
 1. 5. A set of components as defined in claim 4 which includes at least one said clip with a said securing means being an open hook, and at least one second said clip with a said securing means being a closed eyelet.
 6. A set of components as defined in claim 4 which includes a multiple of said clips of various dimensions to accommodate operative connection to said elongated members of various configurations.
 7. A portable barrier comprising: two elongated member supports such as stanchions to be used to define the extremities of said barrier; two of said clips as defined in any one of claim 1 for connection to respective said elongated member supports; and a length of chain, tape, rope, wire or band that can be connected between said two clips.
 8. A portable barrier as defined in claim 7 which is a visual safety warning barrier.
 9. A portable barrier as defined in claim 7 which is a guide barrier to identify allowable and/or prohibited traffic areas.
 10. A clip as defined in any one of claim 1 to 3, or a set of components as defined in any one of claims 4 to 6, or a portable barrier as defined in any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein said chain is a metal or plastic chain.
 11. A clip as defined in claim 10, or a set of components as defined in claim 10, or a portable barrier as defined in claim 10, wherein said chain is a plastic chain.
 12. A clip as defined in claim 11, or a set of components as defined in claim 11, or a portable barrier as defined in claim 11, wherein said chain is a coloured plastic chain, the colour selected being indicative of the purpose of said barrier.
 13. A set of components as defined in claim 4, wherein said chain is a metal or plastic chain.
 14. A set of components as defined in claim 13, wherein said chain is a plastic chain.
 15. A set of components as defined in claim 14, wherein said chain is a coloured plastic chain, the colour selected being indicative of the purpose of said barrier.
 16. A portable barrier as defined in claim 7, wherein said chain is a metal or plastic chain.
 17. A portable barrier as defined in claim 15, wherein said chain is a plastic chain.
 18. A portable barrier as defined in claim 17, wherein said chain is a coloured plastic chain, the colour selected being indicative of the purpose of said barrier. 